Over opening narration, Little Hiawatha is seen paddling his canoe down a river—at one point backwards—on his way to hunt game. Upon reaching land, he steps out and immediately falls down a hidden hole in the water, bringing about the laughter of the animals in the forest. Hiawatha gives chase to them—with his pants occasionally falling down in what is the cartoon's running gag. He gives chase to the grasshopper, but is foiled when it spits in his face, which earns him more laughter from the animals. He chases them again and manages to corner a small rabbit, but finds he cannot bring himself to kill it after it gives him repeated sad glances, even after he has armed it with a spare bow and arrow. Frustrated, he shoos it back to its family and breaks his bow and arrow, to the animals' delight.

Later Hiawatha comes across a set of bear tracks, which leads him to a face-to-face encounter with a bear cub. He chases after it, but runs right into the cub's hungry mother, who is enraged and pursues him through the forest. The other animals band together to keep Hiawatha out of the bear's clutches, including scenes of opossums flinging Hiawatha through the air, and beavers cutting down trees in the bear's path. Returned safely to his canoe, Hiawatha rows off into the sunset as the animals wave him farewell.